


Everybody falls in love someplace (even locked up in an old dark room)

by AnaKN2004



Category: Buzzfeed Unsolved (Web Series), Buzzfeed: Worth It (Web Series), Watcher Entertainment RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - School, Believer Ryan Bergara, Falling In Love, Feelings Realization, Idiots in Love, Locked In, M/M, Oblivious Ryan Bergara, Oblivious Shane Madej, Skeptic Shane Madej
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:54:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,934
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27262294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnaKN2004/pseuds/AnaKN2004
Summary: “They are so obviously in love.”"I agree with you on this one.""Good," A pause followed, "I'm glad we finally agree on something."Shane and Ryan attempt to get their lovesick friends together, only for it to backfire.( Bad matchmaking, an old storage room and a pair of dumbasses realizing their feelings ensue)
Relationships: Andrew Ilnyckyj/Steven Lim, Ryan Bergara/Shane Madej
Comments: 20
Kudos: 74





	1. Chapter one

**Author's Note:**

> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR beta'ing this Zhalia I love youuu, you wonderful hooman!!!! <33333333333333333333333333  
> Cat this is your doing, I hope you like the fic! UwU
> 
> (Amy boi thenku for tolerating the long rambling voice messages heheh)

“They are so obviously in love.”

"I agree with you on this one."

"Good," A pause followed, "I'm glad we finally agree on something." 

Shane Madej looked alongside him to where a tan, athletic-looking boy sat, he was silently observing a pair of boys giggling and pushing each other around, soft blushes colouring both of their faces. The taller, leaner one laughed loud and freely- his voice echoing through the empty high school courtyard, making the shorter boy’s eyes crinkle with how wide his grin got. They looked so enraptured in a bubble of love, it was frustrating they weren't together.

Shane addressed the short, dark-eyed boy who sat beside him, “You do make it incredibly hard for me to agree with you on anything, Ryan,” Earning a sigh from the other teenager.

"You’re just unbelievably thick-headed, Shane," Ryan Bergara muttered, no real bite to his words, “And is it  _ that hard  _ for you to believe that some things exist, beyond scientific explanation?" There was still a touch of indignance colouring his tone, despite having argued about this same, controversial topic several times already.

"Oh, we are so  _ no _ t having this conversation again," The taller brunet immediately interjected before they could fall into the age-old fight again, earning a quick, wheezy laugh from Ryan, "And yes, it would be a little hard for me to believe in the existence of some wispy, see-through creatures floating around at night going  _ ‘boo’ _ at some poor guy on the streets.”

He was rewarded with another wheeze and a fondly muttered: “Shut up, Shane”

Shane grinned widely and gestured at the two oblivious teenagers they had been watching earlier, “So, what do we do about Andrew and Steven then? They need to get their act together quickly or I’m going to lose it at their constant pining soon.” 

Ryan hummed in thought, “Are you proposing we play matchmaker? Find a way to get those dumbasses to confess?”

“Yep,” He replied discreetly, scooting closer to Ryan in a conspiratorial way, “Got any ideas?”

“Well- they both like trying different kinds of things to eat, why not uh-” Ryan rubbed his neck in thought, furrowing his brows like he did when he was coming up with another wacky theory that Shane would dismiss sceptically, or when he was reading something deeply unaware of his surroundings, and a feeling tugged at the pit of Shanes stomach which he ignored promptly.

They were interrupted by a shrill laugh from Steven, as Andrew wiggled his fingers, threatening to tickle him unmercifully. Ryan and Shane shared a fond, yet exasperated look and unanimously shook their heads.

“We could always pretend to ask them to hang out with them each of us separately?” Shane shrugged, “You ask Steven to meet you at a place to hang out and I’ll ask Andrew to come there too, we'll set something up there-” He waggled his eyebrows dramatically, “-to make it romantic.”

Ryan snorted and light-heartedly whacked him on the arm “Alright, what do you have in mind then, big guy? This better not be as weird as your plan to make your history project about the people who danced till they died in France.”

“Hey!” Shane protested “The professor loved that idea! I got full grades on that one, you’re just jealous you didn’t.” And laughed when Ryan petulantly stuck out his tongue at him “What are you, a five-year-old?”

Ryan huffed poking Shane in the side, “Well ‘the professor’ seems to seriously have something against me,” He continued resentfully “Does anyone even know the dude's  _ actual  _ name? Everyone just calls him ‘the professor’.”

“His name-” Shane began to reply but stopped looking very confused “I don’t know what his-  _ but  _ that’s not what we’re talking about right now,” He pointed out quickly “Keep your eyes on Mission Standrew, Ryan,” And the other teenager laughed at the blend of their friend’s names.

Ryan rolled his eyes “Right, so what  _ was  _ your plan then?”

Shane leaned forward and winked at Ryan “Watch and learn, baby, by the end of the of the ‘date’ we’d never have to deal with their intolerable pining ever again.”

“…. Don’t call me baby, and yes that would be the ideal objective.”

“You know it, baby!” Shane quipped and chuckled at the anticipated annoyed sigh he heard back.

“You sure about this?” Ryan asked uncertainly as he glanced around the old, rather creepy storage-room they’d chosen to invite their love-struck friends too. It had been Shanes choice of location. Ryan felt rather apprehensive at the beginning of what he was getting himself into, but brushed it away. It was for their friends own good after all. 

Ryan had asked Steven to join him there, in the ruse that a couple of students were going to start an unofficial basketball club and they were going to meet there, and even though it was quite a bad lie, Steven bought it quite enthusiastically and agreed immediately. 

Shane on the other hand had asked Andrew to meet him there without even stating why, and the poker-faced teen just shrugged with a murmured agreement, no further questions were asked. Ryan raised an eyebrow at Shane, not even trying to make it seem legitimate, and Shane had simply given him a look that conveyed  _ ‘Hey I got the job done didn’t I?’ _

__

Now, staring at the abandoned room on the far end of their pretty timeworn school building, in a corner that people rarely ever went to, he felt a bit apprehensive. The room was pretty small, barely bigger than a closet even. They’d skipped a few classes to make it seem more snug and as Shane had so eloquently put it - _ ‘Turn it into a mushy lovey-dovey trap’ _ and emphasized the statement by sticking a cut-out heart on the wall, with the words-  _ ‘Would you  stop acting like cupid bit you in the ass already ;)’ _ written in red glitter, __ snickering the whole time. Ryan joined him, they were having way too much fun on this but he didn’t mind one bit. 

Their plan was basically to lock Steven and Andrew in the room together until they got their acts together, and let them out in a good few hours. In hindsight, it was extremely stupid of them, but that happened to be the best they could come up with.

They weren’t cruel. They’d leave a small box with a few bottles of water and some other things to munch on. Shane ended up sneaking in a whole box of pizza much to Ryan’s awe. They dragged a small square table in the middle of the room, and Ryan wheezed as Shane placed the pizza on the tabletop, with an extravagant  _ ‘Bon appetite! _ ’

It had been Ryan’s idea to put up some cheap light-up candles around the fairly dark room, partly for ‘setting a mood’ and partly because the only source of light was a ridiculously tiny window. 

Shane scrunched up his nose, “Now we’re truly on our way to make this sappy, maybe I should strew some rose petals around?”

To finish it off, they put up Ryan’s mother’s small, vintage cassette player in the room, popping in a mixtape of old romantic songs, snickering at the sight of the look on their friend's faces.

“I’m sure about this,” Shane declared in a confident tone, with his hands on his hips, “Mark my words: they’ll have us to thank for their wedding, one day,” He muttered, before humming  _ ‘here comes the bride’ _ in the most obnoxious way he could muster, making a show of wiping a fake tear off his face.

Ryan giggled softly. He glanced at his watch, they’d taken more time than he’d anticipated, the bantering and collapsing in bouts of laughter were all worthwhile though. Ryan looked up at Shane again opening his mouth to comment that Steven and Andrew would be there any moment, but stopped at the sight of Shane looking intently at him, dark brown eyes holding a heavy emotion in them. He tilted his head questioningly, ignoring a fluttering feeling in his chest that seemed to be growing frequent of late, unable to tear his gaze away. He had probably been in this room  _ far _ too long and was probably just feeling cooped up.

That seemed to snap Shane out of it, he smiled a sheepish, albeit startled smile and stammered, “There’s uh- there’s some glitter on your cheek,” He gestures and Ryan rubbed at his cheek at a random spot, “Oh-is it gone now?” 

“No, it's-” Shane gave up trying to explain and stepped forward, “Here let me-” and Ryan felt his heart start to flutter that way again when Shane extended his hand to wipe the glitter of Ryan’s cheek and Something sparked in the room for a second. It filled Ryan with an unfamiliar feeling, heart rate spiking a little bit more. He felt stuck in that moment, caught in Shane’s unwavering gaze and the heated emotion behind it.

They both froze when they heard a gasp from at the door, and their eyes turned comically wide, like a cliché moment from an old cartoon.

Steven and Andrew stood at the ajar door, taking in the sight before him, and in just a few moments Ryan saw realization flicker through both of their eyes, then disbelief, finally a shared look of collaborated mischief, that struck him with sudden dread.

Before either Ryan or Shane could say anything at all or move from where they were rooted to the spot, Andrew swiftly pulled the door shut and bolted it, leaving them to stand in the dim, discoloured room in dazed stillness, brains still processing what had just happened.

“Oh no,” Ryan whispered in comical horror, eyes widening, “Fuck-”

“Well that’s not good at all,” Came from his tall companions stunned, obvious comment of the situation they found themselves in and while he would have laughed at that in any other circumstance he found himself unable do anything but stand in utter surprise.

As the two failed matchmakers stood in shock in the trap they’d created themselves, the targets of their plan walked out into the darkening evening, hand in hand, laughing in pure undisguised mirth, with common open looks of adoration and flushed cheeks to match.

“How long should we let them be in there?” Steven Lim asked his boyfriend, still giggling wildly at the look on their friend's faces.

“Probably for a good couple of hours,” Andrew grinned darkly, “They did look like they finally figured their feelings out for a second there,” He said, raising his eyebrows, taking delight in Steven’s laughter, like he always did. He felt resolute pride in being the only one that could make Steven laugh like  _ that, _ so unbearably happy and endearing _. _

“We’ll leave them in there overnight then,” Steven snorted with shining eyes, sharing a knowing expression with Andrew, “They are so  _ obviously in love _ ; I hope they get all that pining sorted out.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As much as Shane loved to scare him, it was easy for Ryan to forget about his dread when Shane was around, even if he were in the most haunted place on earth. As long as the big guy and his goofiness kept him company.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HSHWJWHWHWWH RIGHT SO IM SORRY IF YOU'VE READ THIS AND IT TOOK THIS LONG TO UPDATE BUT I DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO MY COMPUTER RIGHT NOW   
> I did gather a few braincells and realise thag i could just download google docs on my phone so-  
> AHH HOPE YOU LIKE IT-  
> AND ONCE AGAIN THANK YOU SM ZHALIA YOU WONDERFUL HOOMAN

“Stop doing that, that is not going  to help,” Shane grumbled from where he was slumped against the corner of the cramped room . Ryan was frantically pushing against the door hoping it would budge. After thirty minutes of doing the same, S hane had given the door one final kick in pure exasperation and given up.

Ryan rattled the  door miserably, “How the  _ fuck  _ did this backfire so badly?” He sighed, then walked away sinking down on the floor, just a little away from Shane. The room had way grown darker and a little bit icier.

“I-I mean, at least we wouldn’t get in trouble for it at our homes,” Shane muttered, tiredly rubbing a hand across his face and Ryan nodded sullenly. Both of their parents had gone out

for the night, and they were staying alone at their respective houses.

They’d left their phones in their  lockers, so calling someone to let them out was out of the option, with no way to get out- it looked like they’d be spending the night in the room after all.

Shane glanced at Ryan, and not for the first time he felt a strange, warm feeling envelop in his chest. Ignoring it, he cleared his throat, “You alright there, little guy?”

Ryan exhaled, nodding. His hair was mussed up and he looked fidgety “I-I’m alright, just-what do we do now?”

Shane half-heartedly shrugged, “Talk about how much of a dumb situation we’ve gotten ourselves in, I dunno?” He pointed at the box on the table, “At least we’ve got some pizza to munch on if we get hungry.”

Ryan nodded weakly at that “That’s a relief, I guess.” He rested his head against the dusty wall, carefully choosing not to bring up what had happened right before they’d found themselves stuck there, he looked over at Shane, who was now gazing at the ceiling with a blank, bored expression.

A few minutes passed in silence and then Ryan spoke - “ Honestly I’m not even sure this would have got them to confess,” He mumbled, more to himself than anything .

“Hmm?”

“Maybe it’s just  me but this does not seem like an ideal first date for someone,” He snorts, gesturing around the room, “I’m bored out of my mind”

“ Well,” He heard Shane shift and lean forward, “Everyone has a different idea of what a perfect first date should be.”

“Touché,” He mumbled back, “I bet Steven and Andrew would be the ones whose ideal dates would be trying out different restaurants and eating unique cuisines together.”

“They do take their food very seriously.” Shane nodded in agreement “In retrospect, we should have thought this through.”

“Yeah, no shit,” Ryan scoffed and reached out to grab the small box of cheap, battery operated candles. “It’s starting to get dark,” He muttered a little nervously pulling one out, “Maybe we should put these up or something.”

A small shuffling sound as Shane shifted closer, much closer and whispered huskily, “Scared, Ryan?”

Ryan shivered, partly from the slight chill of the room, and partly from the much closer proximity. He could dimly make out Shanes crooked, teasing smile. Although it’s a familiar sight to him, this time it sparked something bright in his chest- a feeling, some kind of amazing warmth that made his heart squeeze, and he stilled.

“I- ” He started, mouth suddenly feeling dry, “I-I’m not scared,” He protested weakly.

“Sure,” He heard Shane scoff, “What are you so afraid of? It’s just a room.”

“ Well,” Ryan looked around the room defensively, as if waiting for something to jump out of the shadowy corners, “This place is practically ancient, you just never know…”

Shane chuckled moving a little away, and Ryan missed the warmth he seemed to provide, “Are you suggesting that this room’s  _ haunted _ ?”

Ryan sheepishly looked away and Shane snorted, “You were!”

“Hey ghouls!” Shane yelled, just to get a rise out of Ryan, whose eyes seemed to widen, “My friend Ryan here would love to see ya!” He waved off Ryan’s fearful shushing, “Do something maybe? Give us a scratch or pick me up and thro w me to a  wall,” He suggested nonchalantly.

A small but certain creak echoed through the room and Ryan screeched shrilly, much to Shane’s amusement. His eyes widened more comically and he looked around anxiously.

“Calm down Ryan,” Shane managed to say, trying not to laugh, “This room’s old; old things make a lot of  noises man.”

“I-I don’t care, I’m moving closer to you,” Ryan stuttered, fear evident in his tone. He shuffled even closer to Shane so that their arms were touching, He relaxed at the immediate warmth that just being nearer to Shane gave him. As much as Shane loved to scare him, it was easy for Ryan to forget about his dread when Shane was around, even if he were in the most haunted place on earth. As long as the big guy and his goofiness kept him company.

“ Oh-kay?” Shane said, bemused and surprised. His heart clenched at the sudden want to put his arm around the smaller boy to comfort him, to protect him from everything he fears, 

and he blinked, shaking his head-  _ ‘Where on earth did that come from?’ _

__

There was a peaceful hush in the room, both boys caught up in their own thoughts. Shane gently broke it to suggest they eat the pizza, after noticing some wistful looks Ryan had given the box earlier. They settled down on the creaky stools, hoping they didn’t collapse, arranging them so they faced each other across the tables. Ryan lit up the candles around  them, illuminating the whole room in a soft yellow light.

It was strangely intimate, and the whole atmosphere in the room seemed to shift drastically. There was something teetering on the edge of realisation, a small spur of tension along with the warmth and the fondness of the ambience they’d created .

They slipped into their usual habit of easy banter, munching on slices of what tasted, as always, like cheesy heaven, laughing and giggling at inside jokes and good naturally throwing insults at each other. Both of their hearts filled with the fondest heat.

“So,” Shane asked, leaning forward a little, hands propping up his  chin, “What would be your idea of a perfect first date”

“Well,” Ryan paused in thought, “You first, what’s yours?”

“I believe I asked the question first.” A smile tugged at Shanes lips, and Ryan grumbled.

“ Fine, promise you won’t laugh,” Ryan peered at him pleadingly.

“I  _ pinkie _ -promise, and you know what dark dangers await the ones who break  _ that _ promise,” Shane raised his eyebrow, looking mockingly serious.

Ryan laughed at his characteristic silliness, “Alright fine, my ideal date would be probably going somewhere spooky – a haunted location or a horror house, either  one does it – not so I can cling on to them if I get jumpy. It would be nice, just two people looking for the paranormal,” He frowned indignantly at Shanes chuckle, “Hey! What about the pinkie promise you just made, you jackass?!”

“I’m not laughing at you, Ryan,” He shook his head, smiling, “That actually sounds like something I’d love to do as well,” He shrugged, “I was just expecting you to say something very typical, I suppose,” He smiled fondly, his eyes twinkling, “I guess your date choices are as unique as you, Ryan Bergara”

Ryan turned red at that, the fond warmth in  his chest sparking into a full-fledged fire, “Sh-shut up, Shane,” He muttered, looking away.

They huddled together in the corner after that, the room had gotten chiller than ever and Ryan shuddered again. He felt more aware, of himself and the idiot sitting right beside him, and certain strong feelings that fluttered and spiralled in his chest.

After five tense minutes, Shane got up abruptly, startling Ryan. “ Music!” He said, grinning goofily, “That should make this whole thing less of a bummer.”

Ryan tilted his watching his long-limbed friend stride over to the cassette player and turning it on. An incredibly familiar song played, its nostalgic, bittersweet notes mingling with the softly lit room, and Ryan felt himself smile gently, nostalgia and love brimming up inside him.

‘ _ Love’ _ he realised, as he looked at Shane smiling widely at the song and moving his head to the rhythm, a few strands of his floppy brown hair falling over his eyes.

He got up, slowly walked over to Shane, feeling overwhelmed with feeling of realisation, and the strong burn of love. He felt stupid at never knowing how much he’d fallen for Shane. His heart thumped behind his chest, a mix of euphoria and nervousness.

Shane gave Ryan a curious look, and then shooting him another crooked smile offered his hand, which Ryan hesitantly took with a goofy, saccharine smile that made him look more like a beacon of bright light to Shane than he already was.

He watched, somehow completely mesmerised, as Ryan swayed a smile on his face and he joined, never being able to take his eyes away from the sparkle of joy in the other teens eyes, free and warm.

They danced along to the song, ridiculously blissful, sound of laughter bouncing across the walls of the room, resonating into the empty old hallway that was usually free of any noise. It was peaceful, a small but beautiful moment shared by the two of them, with only the old flaking walls to bear witness to the bloom of youthful love.

Ryan stumbled forward managing to trip himself somehow, and sighed in relief when he felt surprisingly strong hands steady him before he could face plant on the floor. He smiled up at Shane and laughed, his voice sounded like sweet honey to Shane, and he found himself unable to tear his eyes away, suddenly everything seemed to still, and Shane admired how ethereal Ryan seemed to look in the soft glow of the yellow light.

__

_ “Everybody finds somebody someplace, _

__ __ _ there’s no telling where love may appear...”  _ __

__

The lyrics of the song faded into a soft hum in the background, and both the boys seemed to be struck with the wave of love that engulfed them, Shane unconsciously cupped Ryan’s cheek, tenderly and reverently, and Ryan shivered, closing his eyes for a brief moment.

He opened them to meet Shanes awed stare and bit his lip, a flush rising to his cheeks at the intensity behind the look. Shane’s eyes flickered down to Ryan’s lips and he leaned forward, hoping desperately he wasn’t wrong about this, and that what he felt was mutual.

_ “ _ _ Something in my heart keeps saying _

__ __ _ My someplace is here..” _

__ __

His lips met Ryan’s in a soft gentle kiss, and Ryan sighed looping his arms around Shane's neck, Shane relaxed, wrapping an arm around Ryan’s waist deepening the kiss. His other hand found Ryan’s hair, which was now rumpled and curly and felt like soft silk beneath his fingertips. Ryan melted onto him with a small whimper and Shane smirked softly, amused and content and so deeply in love. This felt right, them in each other’s arms, like it was meant to be, maybe forever who knows, but at that moment each of them knew this was exactly where they needed to be.

Things grew heated, and they stumbled clumsily, the kissing grew more frantic and Shane bit Ryan’s lip, relishing in the small sounds of approval the smaller boy made. He hoisted Ryan up, and Ryan instantly threw his legs around Shane, grasping his hair like a lifeline. Shane pushed Ryan against the door, burrowing his face in Ryan’s neck, nipping the soft skin there as the other boy squirmed.

A sudden snap, and they muffledly yelled in surprise as they toppled to the floor, as the old rusty bolt of the door broke. Shane used his hands to prop himself up, his face was red and he was panting, still gazing hungrily at Ryan as if he couldn’t get enough, Ryan’s face was flushed and he had a dazed expression, curls in a disarray and lips bitten.

“Well-” Ryan begin and winced when his voice came out squeakily “At-at least our matchmaking did work huh?”

Shane laughed pressing another soft peck to Ryan’s lips “It sure did”

“S-should we leave? Now that we’re out of there?

“Maybe” Shane hummed, looking at Ryan darkly, a slow coy smile upon his lips “I think I’d rather take a little advantage of the room first though” he stated, kissing Ryan, searing and full of want, and chuckled when Ryan nodded frantically, enthusiastically returning the kiss.

_ ‘Not bad matchmaking at all.’ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to know what you guys think if you wish to leave a comment <3333  
> I also would like to imagine a frazzled, blue haired, round glasses wearing proffeser stumbled upon the room the next day trying to eat his jellybeans in peace but instead found a catastrophe of tumbled tables and other things  
> MUCH LOVE AND STAY SAFE  
> HUGGS  
> ANA~

**Author's Note:**

> I put the two idiots in a room to figure thier shit out hehehe  
> Hope your liking the fic so far!! ill put chapter two up soon enough <33 do tell me what you thinks going to happen!  
> -ANA


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